Chrysanthemum plant named ‘01-127-1’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  chrysanthemum,  ‘01-127-1’, characterized by it&#39;s early blooming habit with frost tolerant daisy-type inflorescences with light lavender ray florets and gold disk florets, its vigorous shrub-like growth habit after two years of growth, its tight cushion plant form attained without pinching, and its good garden performance and winter hardiness.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

This invention was made with government support under MIN-21-50 awardedby the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. The government has certain rights inthe invention.

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘01-127-1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of gardenchrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×hybrida‘01-127-1’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name,‘01-127-1’. The new cultivar is commercially known as a garden-typechrysanthemum.

‘01-127-1’ was derived from an on going controlled breeding program thatfocuses on obtaining new cultivars of garden chrysanthemums in a rangeof flower colors that exhibit superior winter hardiness for northernclimates, a large shrub-like habit in successive growth years that, anda tight cushion plant habit without the need for pruning or pinching.The breeding originally commenced with crosses utilizing Dendranthemaweyrichii ‘Pink Bomb’ (not patented) and various cultivars ofDendranthema×grandiflora.

The new cultivar, ‘01-127-1’ was created with a series of crosses andselections made over a period of tens years between 1990 and 2001utilizing proprietary selections. ‘01-127-1’ ultimately originated froma cross-pollination made in 2000 of proprietary seedling designated as‘92-11-1’ (not patented) as the female parent and the proprietaryseedling designated as ‘00-48-30’ (not patented) as the male parent. Thenew chrysanthemum was selected as a single plant within the progeny ofthe stated cross in 2001 by the inventor in St. Paul, Minn. ‘01-127-1’was selected as unique for its early-blooming, daisy-type inflorescenceswith light lavender ray florets and gold disk florets combined with thecharacteristics that fit the objectives of the breeding program.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished via stemcuttings in St. Paul, Minn. in 2001. The characteristics of thiscultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar of chrysanthemum. Theseattributes in combination distinguish ‘01-127-1’ as unique from and allother varieties of chrysanthemum known to the inventor.

-   -   1. ‘01-127-1’ is early flowering with daisy-type inflorescences        with light lavender ray florets and gold disk florets.    -   2. ‘01-127-1’ attains a large shrub-like habit in the second and        successive years of growth attaining about 27 cm in height the        first year and about 62 cm in height in the second year and        about 75 cm in width the first year and 133 cm in width in the        second year.    -   3. ‘01-127-1’ forms a tight cushion plant form without the need        for pinching or pruning.    -   4. ‘01-127-1’ exhibits extreme hybrid vigor.    -   5. ‘01-127-1’ exhibits a massive floral display in its second        and subsequent years after planting.    -   6. ‘01-127-1’ is a winter hardy shrub chrysanthemum with        hardiness to U.S.D.A. Zone 3.    -   7. The flowers of ‘01-127-1’ are frost tolerant.

In comparison to the parent plants; the female parent, ‘92-11-1’,differs from ‘01-127-1’ in having bronze colored flowers, quadriplexdaisy type flowers, and blooming later (mid season) and the male parent,‘00-48-30’, differs from ‘01-127-1’ in having bronze colored semi-doubleflowers. ‘Cecilia’ (not patented) is the closest comparison plant to‘01-127-1’. ‘Cecilia’ is a 7 week variety (mid season), whereas‘01-127-1’ is a 6 week response group (early season), which means itwill flower about 1 week earlier than ‘Cecilia’. ‘Cecilia’ is similar to‘01-127-1’ in flower color, however ‘01-127-1’ has more petalage than‘Cecilia’. ‘01-127-1’ also has the same plant growth habit as ‘Cecilia’(cushion or ball-shaped) but differs by being more winter hardy than‘Cecilia’ and growing to a much larger sized plant (both in height andwidth) in the 2nd and successive years of growth. The frost toleranceprovides an extended flowering season when compared with ‘Cecilia’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new chrysanthemum. The photographswere taken of plants grown for one or two years under field conditionsin Waseca, Minn.

FIG. 1 is a photograph of a row of ‘01-127-1’ after two years of growth.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of‘01-127-1’.

FIG. 3 is a photograph of a single plant of ‘01-127-1’ after one year ofgrowth.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized. The color values cited inthe detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of thenew chrysanthemum.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as grownoutdoors under natural lighting in a trial bed in Waseca, Minn. andobserved over a period of two years. The detailed botanical data wascollected from one and two year-old plants between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. onSep. 27, 2005. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary withvariations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as ithas not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. Thecolor determination is in accordance with the 2001 R.H.S. Colour Chartof the Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except wheregeneral color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming season.—Early blooming, approximately from week 33            in Grand Rapids, Minn. (USDA Z3) and continues through week            40 until a killing freeze. In Waseca, Minn. (USDA Z4),            ‘01-127-1’ flowers as early as week 30 and extends through            approx. week 40.        -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, mounded habit, first year            growth habit is semi-prostrate, attains a large shrub-like            habit in the second and subsequent years with a tight            cushion plant form.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 27 cm in height and 75 cm            in width the first year and about 62 cm in height and 133 cm            in width in the second and subsequent years.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 3.        -   Diseases resistance.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases common to Chrysanthemum has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.        -   Time to root initiation.—About 1 week.        -   Crop maintenance.—No pinching or pruning is required to            achieve the cushion plant habit and abundant bloom.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem color.—First year growth 144A, second year growth 144B            to 144C.        -   Lateral branch length.—Average of 24 cm.        -   Lateral branch diameter.—2.5 mm.        -   Quantity of lateral branches.—160 per plant, average of 3.7            lateral branches produced per stem when apical meristem is            removed (pinched).        -   Internode length.—1.3 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf shape.—Blade is ovate to obovate with narrow region            extending towards base.        -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Mucronate.        -   Leaf margin.—Incised (mulberry-like incisions) to 1 cm deep.        -   Leaf venation.—Upper surface 147C, lower surface 138C.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaf number.—Average of 18.25 per lateral branch.        -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous on upper surface, slightly pubescent            on lower surface.        -   Leaf color.—Young foliage; upper surface 137A, lower surface            137C, mature foliage; upper surface 137B, lower surfaces            138B.        -   Leaf size (fully expanded).—Average of 5.5 cm in length and            2.9 cm in width.        -   Fragrance of foliage.—Fragrant if bruised.-   Flower description:-   General description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Composite.        -   Flowering response.—6 weeks of short days.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Temperature dependent, under            normal field conditions during the fall, flowers typically            last about 4-7 weeks.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About 6,080 flowers per plant in            second year.        -   Inflorescence buds.—About 7.4 mm in depth and 5 mm in            diameter, flattened globose in shape, color 138C with            stripes on phyllaries 138A.        -   Inflorescence size.—About 1.4 cm in depth and 6.35 cm in            diameter, diameter of disk 1.3 cm.        -   Peduncle.—Strong, held at an angle of 55° to stem, texture            is hirsute, first peduncle is an average of 11 cm in length            and fourth peduncle is an average of about 15.25 in length,            color is 144A with hairy coating of 144D.        -   Involucral bracts (phyllaries).—Crenulate in appearance,            137B in color, about 2 to 4 mm in length, less than 1 mm in            width, glabrous in texture.-   Ray florets (capitulate):    -   -   Number.—Average of 65.        -   Arrangement.—Double whorl.        -   Shape.—Spatulate.        -   Aspect.—From horizontal to upright at an angle of 45°.        -   Size.—Average of 2.74 cm in length and 4.6 mm width.        -   Petal apex.—Acute.        -   Petal base.—Cuneate.        -   Petal margins.—Entire.        -   Petal texture.—Glabrous on upper and lower surface.        -   Petal color.—Opening; Upper surface 70B, lower surface 75A            with inner stripe of 70B, fully open; upper and lower            surface 76C with markings of 76A, fading; upper and lower            surface 76B with markings of 76A.-   Disk florets (perfect):    -   -   Quantity.—Average of 93.        -   Shape.—Tubular.        -   Size.—About 6 mm in length and mm in width.        -   Color.—Immature 148C, mature 145C.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Presence.—Disk flowers are perfect, ray flowers are            carpellate.        -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil per disk and ray floret, style color            11D.        -   Androcoecium.—1 stamen per disk floret, fused into tube            surrounding style, anther color 16A, pollen abundance is            moderate and 13A in color.        -   Fruit and seed.—About 158 ovules per floret. Fruit is an            achene with a single seed attached to the ovary wall. Seed            lacks pappus, have a compressed oval shape with pointed            ends, are about 2 to 5 mm in length and 1 to 2 mm in width            with a ridged texture and 200D in color.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘01-127-1’as herein illustrated and described.